Regrowth
by reminiscent-afterthought
Summary: AW  where Kouichi is physically in the DW . They expected him to turn into a digiegg when his code was scanned, even to be killed...anything, except what actually happened.
1. Eleven years

Author's Notes

Totally random idea, but hey, it works.

Chapters are split into ages. Kouichi's ages to be specific. So first chapter, 11 yrs old.

Enjoy.

* * *

><p><span>Regrowth<span>

AW (where Kouichi is physically in the DW). They expected him to turn into a digiegg when his code was scanned, even to be killed...anything, except what actually happened.

Kouji M & Kouichi K

Genre/s: Family/Humour

Rating: T

* * *

><p><em><strong>Eleven years...<strong>_

Sometimes, it appears that time is standing still before a climax of any sort. A photographic moment; something that can be remembered to the last pixel at a later date, like the moment before a newly-wed couple's first kiss, or the instance a child is first born. Of course, the same thing applies before the prospect of death.

The light sphere had already engulfed the other five before Kouichi froze. Physically anyway. His mind was racing a mile a minute against his heart.

The darkness sphere was already formed in the fallen angel's other palm. There just wasn't time!

He drew in a quick breath, thinking about the risk of what he was about to do. He didn't know what would happen to him, but that was the least of the worries. What he was more concerned about was the fusion of light and darkness.

Would it be enough to stop him?

But no more time...

It just couldn't stay still forever.

He threw himself forward.

Just in time, barely catching the ball between his palms.

'Kouichi!' Five voices melded into one as they screamed for their dearest friend.

Lucemon's face twisted into a frown. 'Fool..,' he snarled. 'Even the warrior of Darkness cannot master the power of darkness that _I_ control.'

The hands slipped, before being blasted apart as the two orbs merged, trapping his body between.

'Kouichi...' Kouji breathed in fear, himself frozen as he watched what seemed an inevitable approaching death. Somehow, this was worse than being trapped in a near death themselves...watching someone else at death's door.

Inside the orb of light and darkness, Kouichi turned to him.

'I know now why I came to the Digital World,' he whispered. 'I always felt...like with Duskmon, that I was just another part of the puzzle, just another pawn...but I know I'm not.' He looked up, straight into Lucemon's blue eyes. 'I wasn't a pawn. You aren't the only one to can combine both light and darkness.'

The frown turned into an all out scowl, as Kouichi turned back to his friends.

'Thank you,' he breathed. 'To all of you. After all his, after everything...I don't regret any of it. And if I had the chance, I would do it all again, to have friends like you all...'

Izumi let out a sob, burying her head into Junpei's shoulder.

'Kouji...'

The addressed took in a shaky breath, unable to say a word, even as the dome dissolved and the body glowed, spirits drifting in the air, before the elder twin gestured them to his brother.

'I'm glad I met you.'

_So am I..._, he thought, clutching them close.

'I don't regret it. Any of it...'

'Kouichi!' Takuya yelled.

Too late. The purple light devoured him, and he was gone.

Kouichi was gone. Dead

'You...you go too far!'

From there, from the fusion of light and darkness stemmed from sacrifice and the reactions thereof, Susanoomon was born. They fought: Lucemon and Susanoomon. Evil and good.

Good won. Susanoomon defeated the evil tyrant, and the five children and five digimon stood amidst the dissolving remains of the Dark Area, watching the golden shower of Lucemon's digiegg disintegrating and rebuilding life. Or so they thought.

So they watched in silence, and time stood still again.

Until a sudden wail broke through the silence that was beginning to sit.

'Wha..?'

The astonishment was barely out of Tomoki's mouth before he was gaping at the sight. There, right where Kouichi had vanished, was a baby, probably not even an hour old, wailing its head off.


	2. One hour

Author's Notes

Here's the next minichapter. Enjoy.

* * *

><p><span>Regrowth<span>

AW (where Kouichi is physically in the DW). They expected him to turn into a digiegg when his code was scanned, even to be killed...anything, except what actually happened.

Kouji M & Kouichi K

Genre/s: Family/Humour

Rating: T

* * *

><p><em><strong>One hour...<strong>_

'Where-Where did he _come_ from?' Takuya spluttered, before adding, with a glare from Izumi: 'Or she.'

The other four humans just stared blankly at the baby, cosily wrapped in a white towel, while Bokomon floated up and tried to shush the wailing, giving him, for it was indeed a boy, a few juggles and bounces like he did an eternity ago to Seraphimon's digiegg.

'Oh dear,' he muttered, sensing almost no success, as the legendary warriors managed to snap out of their shock and come over themselves, along with Neemon and the child forms of the three Angels.

'Let me,' Izumi offered, her latent 'mother' instinct appealing to the cute bundle of joy. She took him from the white gnome and rocked him gently, lulling the wails to quiet cries and the shut eyelids to open and reveal a turquoise blue.

Kouji came up beside her, and the baby reached out to him...well, as well as a barely hour old baby could do so. The warrior of light gave back a blank stare, but Izumi, having guessed the situation, simply handed over the bundle with a grin.

'Have fun being the older brother for a change,' she laughed, caught between worry, confusion and intense relief.

By then, the baby was silent, snuggling comfortably into Kouji's grip.

'Wait...' Takuya's mouth, if possible, opened even wider, even as the others (save Neemon) caught on. 'Are you telling me-'

'Yep.' Tomoki let a grin grow over his own voice. 'That's Kouichi.'

'But he's barely an hour old!'

'How do you know?'

'I saw my brother right after he was born you know.'

Kouji just awkwardly held his brother: his _older_ twin brother.

'I guess that answers the question as to what happens to humans once their code is scanned,' Junpei voiced, staring at the others. 'But how do we explain this to his-'

He was interrupted as the baby, Kouichi, started crying again.

'Shush,' the warrior of light said clumsily, trying to jiggle him like with the babies under Swannmon's care. Who knew that knowledge and experience would be so useful? But it didn't appear to be working, as the crying just got louder.

He looked at Izumi, who glared back. 'You'd better do your job as a brother and comfort him,' the glare said. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done, especially when Patamon turned around and screamed.

The others followed. To find the remains of the Dark Area swelling and expanding, sucking in the energy around and causing the Celestial angels to huddle in fear and the baby's cries to escalate to an almost piercing shriek before the warmth and comfort of the other soothed him down to softer sobs, then not even that as the baby drifted off into sleep.

'What's it doing?' Takuya gaped, as Kouji instinctively clutched his brother as close as possible.

'It's sizing up like a loaf of bread,' was Neemon's reply, and surprisingly enough, it summed up the situation pretty well.

'Oh no.' That was Bokomon. 'Not that.'

'What?'

'It may be that Susanoomon was only able to scan the data that was good. So all Lucemon's evil data still exists and I'd say it's growing again.'

They looked at the black egg, now big enough to hold a fully grown human inside...or several.

'So you're saying...' the blonde began.

'That he's been stripped of all goodness and is now evil incarnate.'

The egg split, right down to its middle before the two halves faded away to reveal the monster within.

The dragonoid roared, and everyone covered their ears on instinct (except Kouji who had covered his brother's), watching in horror as he stretched his skeletal wings and flew...straight through the space-time barrier separating the Digital World from their own.

'We have to stop him!' The warrior of fire declared, whipping out his D-scanner with the rest following suit. Save Kouji...who looked at the baby in his hands to the five digimon.

'We'll take care of him for you,' Bokomon offered, and the other nodded, handing over his charge.

Once the small bundle had left his hands, they felt cold, and empty. But he had a job to do, and a brother to get home safe and sound.

'You had better take care of him,' he said, though with a smile on his face, before pulling out his own D-scanner and scanning his code.

The five warriors then flew off, leaving their sixth member inside the golden orb the child angels drew to protect them all.


	3. One day

Author's Notes

One apple a day keeps the doctor away. So here are your Cyber Apples everyone *hands out cyber apples*. I would give chocolate like everyone eles, but I don't have any. I'm allergic, so...yeah. No chocolates from me.

Enjoy.

* * *

><p><span>Regrowth<span>

AW (where Kouichi is physically in the DW). They expected him to turn into a digiegg when his code was scanned, even to be killed...anything, except what actually happened.

Kouji M & Kouichi K

Genre/s: Family/Humour

Rating: T

* * *

><p><em><strong>One day...<strong>_

Lucemon fell. Again. Twice.

And that was it.

'We did it!'

'And we actually did it right this time!'

Laughter and reunions, handshakes and hugs, the ten legendary warriors and five...actually, make that six, human children gathered amidst the field of victory, along with their two tagalong friends and the three who were once the Great Angels of the Digital World, all watching life return.

The others talked, but Lowemon really only had eyes for the bundle in his arms, still sweetly asleep and looking a little bigger than his hour old counterpart.

A soft smile, albeit a sad one. He was lucky to have survived at all.

'Lowemon.'

That was Agunimon, having already swung his own alter ego into the closing portal, gesturing him to do the same.

The warrior of darkness looked at his own charge, the child who had somehow strayed into their world, the one who had managed to bond to the spirits that had drove others beyond the brink of sanity and even purify them. The one who had risked his life for the one thing that could stop destruction and bring peace...

'It's time to say goodbye.'

He looked again, one last time, before gently tossing the baby into Kouji's arms.

'Goodbye Kouichi.'

'We're back.'

The five stared in awe at Shibuya station from their place inside the elevator, their last still sleeping in Kouji's arms.

'And everything...it's the same.'

It was a relief in disguise; at least their families hadn't been worried.

But...

Takuya turned back to the others, and specifically, to the twins, who no longer represented anything like.

'How _are_ we going to explain this to his mother?'

No-one honestly had any clue.

It took awhile to track down the address, seeing as none of them actually knew where Kouichi lived. Eventually, Kouji remembered the name of the hospital in which their mother worked, which lead to Tomoki pulling his charm and weaving the needed information out of an unsuspecting receptionist before the five were standing in front of the Kimura's apartment, with Kouji partially hidden at the back.

Takuya, after sensing the gazes boring into him, steeled his legendary courage and knocked on the door.

A woman in her mid thirties opened it.

'Um...Kimura-san?' He began, thinking about the awkwardness of the pending situation.

'Yes?' she asked, confused.

'You see,' he managed to continue. 'We're friends of Kouichi, and-'

He made a bit of a hopeless gesture, and Junpei moved aside, revealing the two brothers.

'Kouji!' the woman gasped. 'How..?'

Undoubtedly, a warm and cosy reunion would have taken place at that moment...if her attention hadn't been suddenly directed to the bundle, now awake and drowsily blinking into the blue jacket, in his arms.

Any mother could recognise their baby, whether they be dancing around in pink polka dots, clothed in a clown costume, or deaged.

And Kimura Tomoko was no exception.

'You had all better come inside,' she said in a painfully calm voice, sounding remarkably like Kouichi torn between confusion, concern and several other things. 'And explain to my why my son is only a day old.'


	4. One year

Author's Notes

Next chapter will be an interesting one. Kouichi will be old enough by then to be confused. And if you're confused with the rapid aging, if you've seen the Sailor Moon arcs with Sailor Saturn, you'd know where the idea came from. If not, he's...well, rapidly aging. In this case, every time he falls asleep.

Till then...

Enjoy.

* * *

><p><span>Regrowth<span>

AW (where Kouichi is physically in the DW). They expected him to turn into a digiegg when his code was scanned, even to be killed...anything, except what actually happened.

Kouji M & Kouichi K

Genre/s: Family/Humour

Rating: T

* * *

><p><em><strong>One year...<strong>_

Luckily, there was no explanation that made a shred of sense except the truth, so Tomoko had no choice but to accept the tale without question...after having put the sleepy baby to bed on his futon with enough pillows and blankets hopefully preventing too much rolling.

Once they had left, she resigned herself to reraising her son. The milk would be a problem though.

What she hadn't expected when reentering the room, was seeing a one year old latching onto her before she could fully open the door and declaring 'Mama' in his cute little voice.

She was rather proud of herself. After all, most people would have passed out after seeing their almost twelve year old son a mere baby.

This however, was too much.

She fainted.

* * *

><p>'Mama? Mama?'<p>

The adorable little voice, like how she remembered almost eleven years ago, pierced through her foggy mind as she came back to reality.

'Ow,' she moaned, shifting a little, before opening her eyes and finding a small pair of sparkling blue. 'Kouichi?'

'Mama!' the toddler trilled, clumsily attempting to climb over her laying body.

_How in the world did this happen?_

'Mama hurt?' The blue eyes blinked worriedly, startling his mother at the perception at his age.

And now that she thought a moment, she didn't remember him knowing the word 'hurt' at one. All he knew how to say was: 'mama', 'papa', 'kouji', 'okay' and 'light'. Oh, and 'no' of course. That was one of the first words _any_ toddler learnt.

'No I'm fine,' Tomoko reassured, carefully rolling over and picking up her son, now unexplainably clothed in fitting clothes...which looked rather comfortable as well as fashionable, she had to admit. 'You okay honey?'

'Okay,' the blue eyed boy agreed, clumsily gripping her as she sat up. 'Mama?'

'Yes?' she cooed, pushing away the confusion for a later hour.

He didn't say anything, simply smiling cheerily.

Tomoko sighed, trying to remember any other memorial quirks of her one year old son. He had had an odd obsession with Kousei's library, which hadn't changed at all as he grew older. Her son always seemed to have his nose in some book when he had a few free moments. He also had liked climbing things, and sitting on her lap as she sung...but he was too far awake, squirming and giggling madly now, for that last option.

He had also loved drinking milk...unlike a certain stubborn younger twin who had simply despised it.

'Hungry?' she asked, standing and adjusting her grip so the year old didn't slip from her grip, knowing that he didn't know how to say the word, he would show a lot of enthusiasm for the trigger. Or so she thought. It turned out she was wrong in one account.

'Hungry,' the other repeated happily and much to his mother's surprise, trying to reach the ground.

So she fed him. Then changed him, played with him, read a story to him, and finally sung him to bed.

After that, she collapsed on the couch. Conscious this time.

But she was having a bit of trouble keeping up with the situation.

One hour, then one day, then one year and a little more along in speaking than he should have been. Honestly, what was next?


	5. Four years

Author's Notes

Notes are at the end.

Enjoy.

* * *

><p><span>Regrowth<span>

AW (where Kouichi is physically in the DW). They expected him to turn into a digiegg when his code was scanned, even to be killed...anything, except what actually happened.

Kouji M & Kouichi K

Genre/s: Family/Humour

Rating: T

* * *

><p><em><strong>Four years...<strong>_

Kouji was back at the Kimura's apartment bright and early the next morning, eager to see his mother and brother again, even if said brother was more than eleven years younger than he should have been.

Honestly, how were they going to explain that to others. Tomoko may have taken the bizarre tale in stride, but what about the school administration? His, Kouichi's, friends? Random people he associated with on a day to day basis?

He was so caught up in his thoughts, that he barely noticed the blue eye peeking at him behind the curtain...at least, until he did a double-take.

That eye was a little too far off the ground to belong to a day old baby, and to close to it to belong to a fully grown woman.

Then he heard the sound of footsteps scurrying off, then returning as the door opened.

'Hi Mum-er, Mother,' he began, stumbling briefly on the address, before his eyes were drawn to the child clutching her pants leg.

'Huh? What?'

'I was hoping you knew something,' Tomoko sighed, a spoon still in the other hand as she scooped the four year old up and put him carefully back on the chair, handing him the spoon and bowl again. 'He was a year old by the end of yesterday, and he's four now.'

Kouichi, now spooning more oatmeal into his mouth, blinked as the newcomer sat on the table.

'Mama?' he asked. 'I thought we're not meant to talk to strangers.'

'I'm not a stranger,' Kouji replied, somehow torn between confusion and slight hurt. Did this mean Kouichi didn't remember him?

The child simply looked at his mother.

'He isn't a stranger,' Tomoko validated, and Kouichi seemed to accept that.

'Okay,' he agreed, before setting his spoon down again. 'I'm finished.'

'Bring me your bowl then sweetie.'

The boy carefully climbed down from the chair, which was a little too high for a boy of four but the best the Kimura household had to offer, and handed his bowl over. His mother immediately took it and made a start on the dishes, shooing away her sons as both made attempts to help...with varying degrees of success.

'Why don't you two play a game?' she suggested instead. 'See what Kouichi has in his room.'

Kouji did see. And what he saw was mostly books, both exercise and the reading type, and drawings. But no games.

'You don't have any games?' he raised an eyebrow. Even _he _had games, even if he had been pretending to himself he was too old for them.

'I have chess,' the other blinked from behind as Kouji turned from the doorway. 'But I still don't know who you are.'

'Oh, I-' Kouji stopped suddenly. Was it a good idea to explain to a four year old kid that he was supposed to be his _younger twin brother_? 'Where's your father?' he asked instead.

The kid shrugged a little sadly. 'Mama says he went somewhere, but he's been gone too long and he's making her sad. I don't ask anymore.'

'O-oh,' the other said again. 'And your brother?'

'What brother?'

_Ok, definitely not a good idea, _Kouji thought, rubbing his head. This was getting several different degrees of complicated.

So he went for the easiest, and half-true explanation.

'I'm just a friend,' he sighed, before quickly changing the subject. 'You said you have a chess set?'

'Hai.' The four year old snuck past and pulled the board and pieces from a box under a pile of books, before crawling onto his futon and setting it up. 'White or black?'

'Wait...you know how to play?'

The other nodded, staring at him with those innocent blue eyes.

Kouji sighed. Well, playing against a four year old couldn't be that bad. He could just take it easy.

Unfortunately, that option was obliterated after the second round.

Even more unfortunately, he found himself on the losing end fifteen minutes later.

And Tomoko chose that moment to poke her head in.

'How's it going?'

'I lost a game of chess to a four year old,' Kouji grumbled, much to Kouichi's amusement. 'How does he know how to play chess anyway?'

'I was sure he learnt when he was seven,' their mother mused, quietly enough so the son she raised, packing away the pieces again, couldn't hear. 'He shouldn't know how to play now, much less win. I caught him this morning reading those books he checked out last week too. They're at least junior high standard.'

'That's odd.'

'It is.'

'Excuse me Oji-san?'Kouichi suddenly appeared at his feet, causing the other to jump.

'Oji-san?' Kouji asked. He would have felt insulted, _if_ it hadn't been his brother. 'I'm not _that_ old.'

'You didn't give me a name,' the four year old pointed out. 'But I wanted to ask something.'

'Shoot.'

'Why did you call Mama your mother?'

Whoops. He had forgotten about the door incident.

'Well, you see,' the ex-warrior of light began hesitantly. 'She looks like my mother, so-'

'Liar,' the other interrupted.

'I'm not lying,' the theoretically younger twin protested.

'Yes you are,' Kouichi calmly rebuked.

'Kouichi,' Tomoko admonished. 'That's rude.'

'Lying is wrong,' the other replied, almost ceremonially.

The two elders looked at each other, before Kouji scooped his brother off the ground.

'Okay, I was lying,' he admitted, finding it hopeless to get around his brother's keen perception, even in the form of a four year old. 'I'm your brother Kouichi.'

Kouichi looked from him to his mother, and then back. 'Were you with Papa?' he asked.

'Um...yeah.'

Surprisingly, he accepted that. 'Okay.'

Kouji sighed in relief.

* * *

><p><span>Post Author's Notes<span>

Oji-san is like a respectful way to address an older male, as well as meaning uncle.

And I'm assuming Tomoko and Kousei divorced before the twin's long term memory recording kicked in at about three. So that's my excuse for them not remembering each other. Easy way out, but at least it's a practical solution.

If you noticed, Kouichi's intelligence is growing faster than his body is. It was the same thing with Hotoru (Sailor Saturn) as well. And it's fun to play with. More confusion.

Yay, nearly there now. Another two chapters to go.


	6. Eight years

Author's Notes

I've decided the twins were born before the 1st of April, that's the cutoff date in Japanese schools, so they started a year earlier than Takuya and Izumi. So they're both in their first year of junior high school (well, Kouichi would be, if he was the right age). That's to make sure Kouichi's elementary school and current school are two different things.

And Tomoko and Kousei divorced on good terms. No drama this time from that aspect.

Enjoy.

* * *

><p><span>Regrowth<span>

AW (where Kouichi is physically in the DW). They expected him to turn into a digiegg when his code was scanned, even to be killed...anything, except what actually happened.

Kouji M & Kouichi K

Genre/s: Family/Humour

Rating: T

* * *

><p><em><strong>Eight years...<strong>_

Tomoko stifled a yawn as she wondered into her son's room, wondering what to do with him while she went to work (it was Monday morning after all)-

-only to find the futon neatly made...but empty.

'Kouichi?' she whispered, before repeating the name louder. But no reply came.

So she did the perfectly motherly thing. She panicked.

* * *

><p>Kouichi blinked, backpack packed the previous night (or so he thought) and slung over his shoulder, at where his elementary school <em>should<em> have been.

Only, it wasn't there.

And he was sure he came the right way. But just to be doubly sure, he decided to look around.

Speaking of ways, he wondered what time his mother had a shift today. When she had afternoon or night shifts, he normally walked to school on his own.

He found the grocery store a few blocks down, as well as the candy truck still parked across the road where his school should have been. Only, there was a sign saying construction site, and a wired gate all around.

In front of the gate was two men, chatting about something or other.

He knew he shouldn't be talking to strangers, but being unable to find his school counted as an emergency, so he hoped it was okay.

'Excuse me,' he said timidly, pausing behind the pair. 'Could you tell me where-'

He stopped talking suddenly as the two turned around. One was perfectly ordinary, tall, greying but otherwise amiable, but the other...

''tou-san,' he cheered, hugging the black-haired male, before pulling back and glaring. 'You haven't been home for years. Why?'

Minamoto Kousei just stared dumbfounded at the eight year old.

'Who are you?' he asked blankly, thinking the boy looked familiar but being unable to place it. 'And where are your parents?'

The boy just glared harder, torn between elation and anger. ''kaa-san's at home. Where you didn't go for five years.'

The other returned the stare, slightly intimidated. This boy was vaguely remaining him for his son a few years ago...although he was sure the glare didn't look nearly a quarter as unnatural as this one did.

But if he otherwise looked like Kouji, then...

'Kouichi?'

The boy nodded, as the third wheel simply stared between one and the other.

'You're supposed to be almost twelve,' Kousei said blankly, inciting another glare.

'You're supposed to be at home,' the other repeated, before losing a bit of intensity as his eyes saddened. 'Didn't you love me anymore? Or 'kaa-san? Is that why you didn't come home?'

'It's not like that,' his father tried to explain, before stopping before he got his wires crossed. 'How about we go home to your mother and talk about this?'

He looked to his associate for confirmation, who nodded and waved the boss off.

'What about school?'

'School?' Kousei stared at the construction site before back at what appeared to be his son. 'Uh...they rang and said it's cancelled.'

'You're lying,' Kouichi said plainly, turning to lead the way. 'But I can't go to a place that's not around.'

Kousei simply rubbed his brow.

* * *

><p>Tomoko was a bare level shy of panic by the time a rather uncomfortable and confused Minamoto Kousei knocked on her door.<p>

And to say she was surprised while seeing her eight year old son behind him and dressed for school would be an understatement.

'I found him in front of where one of the old local elementary schools used to be,' he explained to his ex-wife. 'But can you explain why he looks like he's eight when his twelfth birthday's tomorrow?'

Tomoko sighed, before stepping back and letting the two in. 'It's a long story,' she began, easing the bag off her son's shoulders. 'And a rather unbelievable one.'

'After hearing Kouji suddenly found the five best friends in the world, I'm about ready to believe anything.'

Luckily, it had been a friendly divorce. Circumstances had just made it difficult to stay in touch.

And luckily, Kousei's last statement was rather correct. The only thing he hadn't believed was, when the explanations were finished and Tomoko was leaving for work, she kindly informed him that he would be watching over their supposed-to-be elder son for the day.

Of course, he had to do it anyway. Even when they weren't married, Tomoko had a way of persuading him.


	7. Twelve years

Author's Notes

And here's the last chapter. If you can call between two and three page documents chapters.

Enjoy.

* * *

><p><span>Regrowth<span>

AW (where Kouichi is physically in the DW). They expected him to turn into a digiegg when his code was scanned, even to be killed...anything, except what actually happened.

Kouji M & Kouichi K

Genre/s: Family/Humour

Rating: T

* * *

><p><em><strong>Twelve years...<strong>_

Kouji stifled a yawn as his cell phone rang at five in the morning.

'Honestly, who rings at this hour?' he grumbled, picking it up and answering the call.

'And here I thought you were an early bird,' a familiar voice on the other line laughed.

'Kouichi?'

'Of course silly,' the older twin (and he really did sound about the right age now) chuckled. 'Are you normally this lost in the mornings?'

'Only in the last few days it seems,' Kouji replied, rubbing his eyes with his free hands. ''tou-san came home yesterday telling me you were eight, and I played with your four year old self the day before, not to mention the confusion the day before that. Tell me you're eleven.'

'Huh?' Apparently, Kouichi didn't remember any of that. 'Actually, twelve. Is that how Tuesday came after Saturday or are you just pulling my leg?'

'Um...' Kouji broke off awkwardly, wondering how he was going to explain the whole situation...before they both had to go to school too.

'Oh,' Kouichi interrupted, before the younger twin could get any further. 'I almost forgot why I rang. Happy Birthday.'

'Happy..?' He blinked stupidly, before looking at the calendar on his wall and face-palming his forehead. 'Whoops, I forgot. Happy Birthday to you too.' After all, they had their birthdays on the same day.

'Weren't you the one excited about having two birthdays?' Kouichi's voice sounded playfully amused. 'How could you forget this one?'

'It's a long story,' the other groaned. 'What was the last thing you remembered before this morning?'

'Umm...' Kouichi's voice trailed off a bit in thought, before he answered. 'The last thing I remember clearly is Lucemon's attack hitting me...then a bunch of crying and other weird things that don't make any sense. Like being a foot off the ground, and crawling like a baby...but that's about it.'

'Well...there is a perfectly good explanation to all that.'

'Oh do tell then.'

'I'm getting there.'

'What? Waiting till next birthday?'

'No! I just...well, it's a really unbelievable story.'

'Even more so than the Digital World?'

'No...I mean yes.'

'Yes?'

'Well...when that attack hit you, you kinda turned into a baby. Then grew up really fast.'

The words just rushed from his mouth, tumbling over one another to get out.

Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, Kouichi had not understood a word.

'Can you repeat that?' he asked, sounding confused. 'Slower?'

So Kouji took a deep breath, then followed the request.

And silence greeted him on the other line.

'Kouichi? You don't believe me, do you?'

'Why wouldn't I?' came the reply, sounding a little...flushed. 'It's a perfectly logical explanation...as far as the Digital World goes. Digimon go back to digieggs. Humans go back to babies. The growing fast part on the other hand is more confusing. But-'

'But?'

'Well...it's embarrassing.'

'Oh, I dunno.' Kouji laughed in relief as the harder part was over...hopefully. 'I thought it was pretty cute. So did 'tou-san.'

'That's the embarrassing part.'

Something suddenly hit. 'You're not going to continue growing, are you?'

There was another pause. 'I don't think so. You said I didn't remember anything before...right?'

'Right. I explained that I was your brother on Sunday, and you forgot the next day.'

'And I remember everything now...save that growing up fast part.'

'Right...'

'So...should be fine.'

'Yeah...should be. So does that mean you're staying twelve for a year?'

'If you are.'

'Wouldn't have it any other way.'

Kouji grinned, and he could almost see his brother grinning on the phone.

'But seriously. Did you have to ring at five in the morning? The sun's not even out yet?'

Kouichi laughed again. 'Look outside otouto-chan,' he teased.

Kouji looked. And realised he was wrong.

Not that he minded.


End file.
